For the 17th year, The Hollywood Reporter honors the 35 execs under 35 whose ambition, talent and motivation have the town talking.

Bill Phelps

In the 16 years since the Hollywood Reporter launched its annual Next Generation list, it has become the definitive guide for the best and brightest up-and-comers in the business.

It is so esteemed that a major exec interviewed every person on one year's list when he left News Corp. to form his own company.

And who can blame him? Next Gen honorees of years past include Stacey Snider, Mike De Luca, Ari Emanuel, Amy Baer, Ben Silverman, Sue Naegle, Donna Langley, Kevin Huvane -- the very people who are now running the industry.

Each year, THR editors spend months going through the 500-plus submissions and gleaning names through tireless research and reporting.

The finalists are chosen based on their proven success in developing and initiating projects, their reputation among their peers and the potential others see in them to rise to the top. We have separated the honorees into seven categories: agents, legal, film, digital, publicity, management and TV.

The competition creates its own set of problems: Honorees must be 35 or younger as of Nov. 17, the publication date, and we now have to insist that nominees provide identification because more than a few conveniently shave a few years off their ages.

No need to wait around for the next big thing to come along: The industry's future is now.